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New Firearm Licensing Authority Board appointed in Jamaica

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#Jamaica, October 23, 2017 – Kingston – National Security Advisor, Major General (Ret’d) Antony Anderson, has been appointed Chairman of the new five-member Firearm Licensing Authority (FLA) Board.  The appointments were confirmed by National Security Minister, Hon. Robert Montague, during a press conference at the Ministry in New Kingston on Friday (October 20).

The other members include retired Puisne Judge, Justice Marva McIntosh; retired Senior Superintendent of Police and former Police Attaché at the Jamaican High Commission in the United Kingdom, Albert E. Edwards; retired Civil Servant and former Head of the Witness Protection Programme, Ena Rose; and Banker, Aneacia Neita.  Their appointments, which will span three-years, become effective on October 24, consequent on their names being gazetted.

Mr. Montague told journalists on Friday that the FLA has been mandated to audit all uncollected weapons at police stations and those in storage at the agency, noting that this exercise has, to date, yielded more than 2,500 firearms.   He said 500 of those firearms will shortly be turned over to the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) for destruction.

Additionally, the Minister said tracing of more than seven million rounds of ammunition imported into the island is being undertaken as part of efforts to strengthen the accountability mechanism, adding that this exercise will be completed by the new FLA board.

Mr. Montague indicated that he has also insisted on the implementation of the literacy test and firearms examination.

“Going forward, if you are applying for a firearm licence, we need to know that you are literate and we also need to know you understand the safe handling of a firearm,” he explained.

Additionally, he said the new Board is expected to complete the process of digitizing records being kept at the FLA.   Mr. Montague informed that since his Ministerial appointment, several initiatives have been undertaken at the agency, including the recently installed fingerprint reading machine.

He noted that the machine’s introduction will go a far way in assisting the FLA to obtain and keep records of genuine fingerprints.   In relation to new initiatives being pursued at the Authority, Mr. Montague informed that all senior employees will undergo a polygraph test.

“The FLA holds very sensitive information, and we have to be confident as part of the national security infrastructure.   It is also encoded in the National Security Policy that we have worked on, that people dealing with sensitive information must be properly vetted,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Major General Anderson informed that the first order of business for the Board will be an update provided by Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Shane Dalling, on current developments and matters that need to be addressed.

“We expect that within a relatively short time, we will be clear on the direction and path, and implementable steps,” he said.

For his part, Mr. Dalling said he and the Board “will do our best to restore public trust in the FLA”.

Release: JIS

 

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Men who had Murdered Man, Marley Higgs’ cell phone face Court

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Wilkie Arthur

Freelance Court Correspondent

The prosecution intends to try two young North Caicos men, both age 21 for the offense of possession of property of a murdered man, property that was stolen and landed in their possession.

The phone belonged to Peureton ‘Marley’ Higgs, who is believed to have been an innocent gunned down at his apartment complex in the Glass Shack area in a spray of bullets on February 2 that killed another man and wounded two others, including a ten-year-old little girl.

The cell phone was described as white in colour, an iPhone, in a hard black case. 

On Monday, March 18th, JEFFVANO HANDFIELD of North Caicos pleaded not guilty to the offense, and the matter was adjourned to April 2024. He was granted bail in the matter.

A second North Caicos man was charged similarly.  

SARENO CAPELLAN aka, Kino Williams is the second individual brought before the court pertaining to the said cellphone. He appeared in court a week after JEFFVANO HANDFIELD, the date being Monday March 25th 2024.

The case for the Crown is that both men sometime in February of this year possessed the cellphone knowing or suspecting it to be stolen property.

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Supreme Court Closed for Easter

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NOTICE is hereby given that the Easter Recess shall commence on Friday 29th April, 2024 and end on Friday 5th April, 2024. During the Easter Recess Judge Selochan will be available to deal only with matters that are urgent or require prompt attention.

Court Business During the Easter Recess

A person who wishes to have a matter heard during the recess must file a certificate of urgency along with an affidavit, which must set out the reasons why the matter is urgent or requires prompt attention. The matter will not be listed during the recess unless the Judge deems it fit for urgent hearing.

Opening Hours During the Easter Holiday

The Supreme Court’s last sitting day for the first term is Thursday 28th March, 2024. The Court will officially resume sittings on Monday 8th April, 2024. The Supreme Court Offices in both Grand Turk and Providenciales will continue to operate while the Court is not sitting during the recess.

The Court Office will be closed on the following public holidays:

  • Friday 29th March, 2024 (Good Friday) CLOSED
  • Monday 1st April, 2024 (Easter Monday) CLOSED

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TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS DELEGATION ATTENDANCE AT THE NORTH CARIBBEAN SECURITY SUMMIT 21-22 MARCH 2024

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Her Excellency the Governor, Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam, is in Nassau this week, leading a delegation from the Turks and Caicos Islands to the Third Annual Northern Caribbean Security Summit. The forum brings together security leads from the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Bahamas, the US and the UK to focus collective critical efforts against shared threats in the region.

The delegation from the Turks and Caicos Islands includes the Hon. Minister of Immigration Arlington Musgrove, the Hon. Attorney General, Rhondalee Braithwaite-Knowles OBE KC and senior leaders from Border Force, the Department of Rehabilitation and Community Supervision, the Financial Intelligence Agency, the National Security Secretariat, the Regiment and the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force. Additionally, the UK delegation includes the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Deputy Director, the Head of the UK Joint Maritime Security Centre and regional leads from the Ministry of Defence and the National Crime Agency.

Her Excellency the Governor opened the Turks and Caicos Islands’ contribution with a strategic overview of the security situation and growing capabilities. Presentations were given by members of the delegation on the Turks and Caicos Islands’ security posture to tackle transnational organised crime, coordinated efforts in developing the intelligence picture, cyber security, border security, financial crimes and wider impacts from the deterioration of Haiti.

Her Excellency the Governor held meetings with partners to discuss and prioritise areas of tactical focus and joint operations around irregular migration and securing maritime borders, including with the Commissioner of the Royal Bahamian Police Force (with his senior leadership team), the Commodore of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, senior leaders of the US Coast Guard and the US Customs and Border Protection. Outcomes of which, underpin increased operational coordination and information sharing. 

While in Nassau, Her Excellency also made courtesy visits to Her Excellency the Governor-General Cynthia A Pratt, Hon. Speaker of the House of Assembly Patrcia Deveaux, the Rt Rev Bishop Laish Boyd, the British High Commissioner to the Bahamas Tom Hartley, and the Turks and Caicos Islands Diaspora Office.

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